I Grew 40 New Plants in 2024: Ranked from Favorites to Flops

I can't believe we're already in 2025, but I am SO excited to spill all the tea about my wild plant experiment from last year. In 2024, I totally went for it and added over 40 new plant species to my collection—and it was quite the adventure! Some of these plants thrived, some flopped, and yes, some didn’t make it. So in this episode, I’m sharing it all—from my favorites to my fails—and what I learned along the way.

In this episode, we learn:

• [01:51] Reflecting on 2024
• [04:31] What’s your plant parent personality?
• [06:38] Why I now consider myself a low maintenance plant parent
• [09:08] How I fell in love with Ficus (and fell out of love with Calathea)
• [11:52] My success with Anthuriums and Alocasia
• [13:37] Why my most repurchased plants are philodendrons (+ pothos)
• [15:19] Start 2025 with soothing premium chimes with Wind River!
• [17:00] Grow your best garden yet with the AHS Essential Guide to Organic Vegetable Gardening!
• [19:39] Why there is less light in your house than you believe
• [20:50] My top favorite plants in 2024
• [33:44] My least favorite plants in 2024
• [37:56] Plants that didn’t make it in 2024 :(
• [42:53] What's in store for my 2025 houseplant collection?

Mentioned in our conversation:

• What's Your Plant Parent Personality?
• Growing Joy Ep 147: How to Care For Carnivorous Plants Indoors with Damon of California Carnivores
• Growing Joy Ep 269: Carnivorous Plants: The Houseplant Pest Control You Never Thought Of with Kenny Coogan
• Growing Joy Ep 247: Growing Joy "After Dark": Spilling the Planty Tea with Kamili Bell Hill and Agatha Isabel
• How Carnivorous Plants Can Be Used for Pest Control // Indoor Carnivorous Plants
• Full Soltech Highland Light and Wallygrow Eco Wall Planter Greenwall Set Up and Review
• ÅKERBÄR greenhouse, in/outdoor/white, 45 cm - IKEA

For a complete list of my 2024 plant collection ranked,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Thank you to our episode sponsors:

Wind River Chimes

Visit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on your chosen wind chimes.

Quarto: American Horticultural Society Essential Guide to Organic Vegetable Gardening

Grab a copy of the Essential Guide to Organic Vegetable Gardening at your favorite local bookstore, bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, quarto.com or amazon.com to start growing organically.

Follow Maria and Growing Joy:

Order my book: Growing Joy: The Plant Lover's Guide to Cultivating Happiness (and Plants) by Maria Failla, Illustrated by Samantha Leung

Join the Bloom and Grow Garden Party Community Platform & App AKA the plantiest and kindest corner of the internet! Get your FREE 2-week trial here!

Take the Plant Parent Personality Quiz (Get the perfect plants, projects and educational resources for YOUR Lifestyle)

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